Nitrite in California well water
In California, 1% of 746 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for nitrite (1 mg/L).
Nitrite is the short-lived form of nitrogen from septic systems and fertilizer. It causes the same infant blood disorder as nitrate at a tenth of the concentration, and usually points to fresh contamination.
Check your nitrite number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Test your California well for nitrite
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove nitrite
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For nitrite
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For nitrite
Aquasana SmartFlow reverse osmosis
under-sink or countertop, about $225
Certified to NSF/ANSI 58 and 53 to reduce arsenic (96%, pentavalent), fluoride (90%), lead (99%), nitrate, nitrite and PFOA/PFOS at the kitchen tap, with a remineralizer.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for nitrite in California: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (1 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey | 79 | 25% | 0 | 2.1 mg/L | |
| Tulare | 181 | 37% | 0 | 4.08 mg/L | |
| Tehama | 223 | <1% | 0 | 1.6 mg/L | |
| San Diego | 137 | 10% | 0 | 0.071 mg/L | |
| Yuba | 108 | <1% | 0 | 0.093 mg/L |
- Red Bluff CCD, Tehama County1% of 172
- Woodlake-Three Rivers CCD, Tulare County0% of 34
- Ramona CCD, San Diego County0% of 38
- Marysville Northeast CCD, Yuba County0% of 43
- East Tehama CCD, Tehama County0% of 48
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. nitrite counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.